Discussion: Batting Order Help

Batting Order HelpI would like to know how many players your team bats, 10,11,12,13-ALL etc. in Seeding games and Double Elimination. Please let me know what level you play and whether you are sponsored or not. Also, are you successful, winning tournaments? Thanks in advance.

We are a partially sponsored 55 Major Plus team. We have 15 players on our roster. We have played in 8 tournaments thus far this year and have been in the championship game in all but 1(winning 5) We have batted everyone in every single game we have played(seeding & elimination games)without exception.

If you have a sponsor that is paying you could bat everyone in placement games and when the bell rings if you have 11 or 12 players you could play them.Remember everything after 10 players you take a bat away from the top of the order.We played major and funded our own money so our motto was
you pay you play!I have played against some teams that batted 14 and 14 could hit it out.I believe that 11 or 12 is
pretty much the model.Also remember in case of an injury you need to replace the player otherwise it will be an out.

Al t, this is a sticking point with the team I'm playing on now. We have a sponsor. No one pays. I'm a firm believer in winning the bracket. It usually allows you to play one game less in the 2E. That is one game less that you have a chance to lose. Some teams have 14 hitters. Most Major plus teams do. When I played major plus, we batted 11. We won 3 nationals. Same team when we played majors, only batted 11 and won 4 nationals. (Damon's was the team)If you have 12 or 13 guys hitting over 600, great. Maybe some of the smaller tournys you bat everyone. Other wise stick with 11. Like Rooster10 said, everything after 10 players you take the bat away from the top of the order. And everyone else that has aswered, or going to answer, what teams do you play for and the tournys you won, were they nationals? Thanks eveyrone, including you doubleplay6

IMO, there is no right or wrong answer to how many people to bat in a game. It is something that each individual team needs to decide and whatever that decision is-it is one that should have the support of the team.

I started a new way of doing the batting order in pool games, this year. Whoever was the last batter in the previous game, the following batter is the lead-off batter in the next game. It's easy on the coach, because the batting order stays the same. Ballplayers like it, because everyone is getting equal cuts. Elimination will become a different story, when the games count.

Tough question....My idea from a strictly competitive point of view is that in any given game there are going to be people that are off. Not everyone is going to be 4 for 4. When you increase the number of batters you increase the number of people that are going to be off...decreasing the number of at bats that the people that are on get. BUT...there are a lot of things that managers have to take in to account when running a team.

We at one tournament brought 3 players to just run!We let them hit in placement games only.They were aware that they were there to run only and had no problem with it.If you have a great team sometimes you will bat everyone present but I think the norm will be to least sit 1 out for injuries.With the re-entry rule in some tournaments you usually can get everyone in.

We are a AA team unsponsered.We bat everyone,our Team Philosophy,as mentioned earlier in this thread is "YOU PAY YOU PLAY".We may not win as many games,but this is understood by the players that are on the team.At our level we really do play for the love of the game.Winning is important and we try to win every game (it's still more fun when you win),but we recognize that this is the toy dept.,and doing your best,playing hard and enjoying the fellowship that senior softball provdes,THAT, my friends is what it's all about! However I do adjust the batting order accordingly moving the hot hitters to the top for more at bats during elimination games. Also in the past I have batted only the best hitters in elimination and championship games,so I understand that winning for some teams is paramount.There is no right or wrong,just different Philsophies. And you know what ? THATS O.K.!
Tomar,Mgr Git-R-Done

TOMAR77- Well said and think it applies to all teams, be they from AA unsponsored to Major Plus fully sponsored. It is also something that one team should not belittle another team for the manner in which they do it.

We are an older team and carry a large roster to account for injuries. But sometimes almost everyone is healthy and shows for a tournament! We have batted 15, even 16, once 17 guys! The difference might be that we don't have an elite top six hitters. Batting averages are within 100 points of each other top to bottom. RBIs per game are not that different either, despite a difference in length of hit of probably 100 feet. So playing a lot of guys is not that difficult, other than in some games guys at the bottom only get up twice! But the team wins a lot of games and occasional tournaments. Loved the idea of starting the next game where you left off. Does interfere with the manager juggling the roster to account for the hot bats on a given day.

Depends on your ultimate goal. My AAA team is sponsored from the profits of a tourn. I run. I have 17 on my roster with 12 to 14 showing up for any tourn. [I know in advance who's coming]. Everyone bats and I rotate outfielders. As most of us are closer to 65 than 60, and play close to 100 games a yr., a break is not a bad thing. We all actually LIKE each other AND enjoy playing as a team. That being said, on the rare occasion of having more than 14, someone will sit out a game, usually an outfielder, and usually they like the break as they will still pinch run and base coach.

My team usually bats everyone in the qualifiers. We will cut back to 11 to 12 in the nationals and worlds. However, evyone gets a chance to play. We don't have great power but all our guys are good singles hitters and each can get very hot at times. We have a good chance of scoring runs regardless of the lineup. We just moved up to the 65 level and even though all our guys work out in various ways, we can see that we will need all 16 guys at the big tournies and we can rest 3 or 4 as needed each game.

Having enough "fresh" players is a big deal, as I found out at the TOC this past Jan.
After being the #1 seed, then losing the 1st. of the double elim. games, we had to win 5 games played back to back on Sun. morning. We won 4, and while doing so, ran out of gas only to lose the championship to a team we had already beat. If I had more than the 12 players that were able to go, I believe we at least could have given them a more competitive championship game. Lesson learned............

Also, to add to my previous note. When our sponsored team was playing 50's AAA/Majors (6 years ago)there was a short lived push to bat 10 to get the top 3-4 up more. BIG mistake, for us anyway, as it really had lttle affect on game outcomes but more importantly our roster soon went from 16 to 11-12 from attrition as 4-5 GOOD players said sayonara as they were not getting any PT and went elsewhere. We went from playing 12-16 tournaments prior year to 5 as we never had enough players. We even forfeited games/tournaments midway due to injuries. That's why we carry 15 or so and that's why all bat except 1 or 2 for injury replacement if needed. We all come out to play not watch.
Have a Happy Day
Happy S.
AKA:SlapHitter

Slap, I don't mean to ruffle any feathersl but why didn't you have enough players to compete in those other tournaments? It seem to me that some of your guys had some commitment issues. Our teams have played for several years with only 12 players. At the beginning of the season we make sure all players are committed to playing all tournaments.
In the words of the great RT, "what did they have to do, rearrange their sock drawers?"
I guess it is ok to cut the schedule down to 5 tournaments if it is agreeable to all. If not, find another team.
Hope you have a great season!

We did not really have commitment issues in the context of what we were doing. Which was: 16 players on roster 12-14 show for any given tournament. Players did not need to or were expected to be at EVERY tournament. All played - all happy. Knowing that people have other issues in life besides softball this worked well for us. The 16 player team worked and worked well. Going to 10 alienated 4-5 players who quit as they wanted to play so did elswhere. Although the others were committedunder the "Old Way", it was difficult for all 12 to make all 14 tournaments. Add two injuries to group and were in deep do-do. It made sense for US to go back to the successful way we were doing it. Your team found success doing it with 12 committed players, which was great for that particular group of players. Neither is right or wrong just a different approach with different people. Our players were all from the SF Bay Area - plenty to occupy their time besides softball. Live in North Sierra with nothing to do but watch an occasional car drive by with an out of state plate? Let's get out of town and play ball! Not saying this is you but just making a point. Sock Drawers? My ex-wive(s) had plenty for me to do - notice the word ex - they are commitment casualties. Hope you the your other 11 stay healthy and win a bunch this year.
Happy S
AKA: SlapHitter

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